J. Bradford Hipps

J. Bradford Hipps' novel The Adventurist (his first, I believe), was a challenge. Not because of its length (it's relatively short) or poor writing (the prose is excellent), but due to the lack of a real plot.

The Adventurist is a theme book that's about relationships, memories, and reflection woven around the actions of a group of management-types from a software company on the edge of despair because they're not selling enough product. One of the managers is the narrator of the book and the subject of the memories, reflections, and relationship issues that are at its heart. He seems to be a decent guy, but his decisions aren't always the best and that tends to drive the themes of this book.

The Adventurist isn't a book that's right up my alley. I decided to check it out because it was portrayed in an early review as a slice of life novel about American business. I found that to be very true. The management decisions, interactions between employees and bosses, group interactions among the managers, manipulations, 'talking points', meeting strategies, etc. all seemed real to me. I spent a lot of my career working with people like almost every character in the book. The problem is that most of that stuff isn't interesting to most people. It's interesting to me because I can say to myself 'hey, I know that guy!' at certain points, but I fear that a lot of readers will think there are better settings for getting into relationship issues than a meeting room full of IT folks in a hotel in Kansas during a snowstorm.

Ultimately, the writing is the redeeming quality in the book. The 'pall of depression' which I think was a term used somewhere in The Adventurist, is a good description of its overall feel. The themes and relationships are the important considerations and they in effect drive the actions of the main character. The novel's conclusion is sad, understandable, and consistent with what could be expected based on the characters and decisions. All-in-all, I'd recommend The Adventurist for the writing certainly, and for the rest of the action if you've spent a number of years toiling in management in corporate America and you want to re-live some of your past.… (mais)